Spring bed-bottom



(No Model.)

0. BIGEON.

SPRING BED BOTTOM.

, No. 364,469. Patented June 7, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' CHARLES BIGEON, 'OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SPRING BED-BOTTOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,469, dated June 7. 1887.

Application filed November-12, 1886. Serial No. 218,662. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES BIcEoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spring Bed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spring bed-bottoms, and is in the nature of an improvement upon that for which Letters Patent No. 326,096 were granted to me September 15, 1885.

It consists in certain improvements in the construction of the supporting-frame and in the construction and arrangement of the elements constituting the elastic web mounted upon'the frame, all as hereinafter more particularly specified.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention complete, parts being broken away; Fig. 2,.a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a crosssection of the frame; Figs. 4 and 5, views of one of the curved springs and one of the connecting-links, respectively; and Fig. 6, a view of one of the holding-loops detached.

In my present invention I construct the lower frame, A, with side rails, a, connected by rigid cross-braces a a at points approximately midway between the center and the head and foot rails b b. The latter I secure upon blocks 2), by which they are raised to the normal plane of the elastic web; but the parts thus designated are secured firmly together, to

- constitute a rigid supporting-frame mounted upon suitable supports or'corner legs, 0, which may be hinged to close up for convenience when out of use. Extending above and parallel with the permanent or lower side rails, to, are upper movable side rails, (Z d, extending between the head and foot rails b b, leavin g space at each end for free action.

The movable side rails are continuous in length and are supported by braces e, secured in pairs by a common horizontal pivot to the cross-braces a, approximately at mid-length of the latter, and extending thence outward and upward diagonally, forming an outward angle, and are firmly secured to the under side of the rails a. The braces e thus serve the double purpose of permitting the side rails to move outward and downward in an arc concentric with the common pivotal axis of the braces e, and of preventing any longitudinal movement of the movable side rails.

The braces c are preferably of wroughtiron, but depend upon their pivotal action rather than any elastic or bending action for the desired results, and normally uphold the movable side rails, d, in the general plane of the head and foot rails I) Z).

To the upper side rails, (Z, and to the head and foot rails I), are secured permanent wire loops f,'driven in from the top and bent inward, as shown in Fig. 6; and to these loops are secured the spring-loops S, aggregated to constitute the elastic web upon which the mattress is supported. It will thus be seen that the elastic web is held between the permanent or fixed ends I) b and the movable sides (I, and the latter, being confined strictly to movement in a cross-plane parallel with the head and'foot rails,which are immovable,

all undue strains upon the web at the corners of the supporting-frame are avoided.

In the construction described in my said former patent both ends and sides were thus movable, and depression at the corners produced undue strains of elongation. In said former construction the web, made up of the loops with crossed terminals, was attached to the side rails by the loop ends, the terminals being secured to closed rings at the median line of the web. This arrangement of the loop-sections has been found objectionable for two reasons: First, the extraordinary strain at the sides of the bed was concentrated at one point only of the loop and in a manner most unfavorable to the proper action and durability of the loop there used; second, at the corners of the frame where the strains were even greater, the loop is also in a position most unfavorable to proper elastic resistance. It will of course be evident that to secure the greatest aggregated strength of elements individually weak,- it is necessary to distribute the strain equally through all.

In my present improvement the order of the arrangement of the loop-sections is exactly reversed from thatreferred to. The sections are attached to the side rails by their terminals. Theloops proper are joined at the median line by links oecupyi ng the same relative diag- Ice onal position in the fabric as terminals. In connection with this new arrangement I employ semicircular staples for the side and foot rails, f, (shown detached in Fig. 6,) approxi mately of the size of the loop proper, into which the terminals of the loop-sections are hooked, and which givesufficient play to enable the loop-sections to contract their terminals in action. At the head and foot rails b b the cross-loops present their sides, whereby one free end of a cross-loop, S, engages the holding-loop, and a link, a is inserted to connect its closed circlewith the next holdingloop in series. By observing the lower righthand corner of the web in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the arrangement of the loop-sections in relation toeach other and to the side and foot rails leaves an approximately rectangular opening in the web between adjacent rail-connections,around threesides of which thestrain at that point is carried, thus entirely preventing any undue strains at that point. As the foot-piece b is fixed in position a downward pressure upon the corresponding end of the side rail, d, will elongate the web laterally only, and the loops S are so arranged as to accommodatejthe strain without injury,sinee the strain isiat once carried back toward the interior portions of the web. Chains g are attached between the fixed and movable side rails, a and d, to prevent upward displacement.

Thus far I have described my invention as applied to bed-bottoms generally; but the construction shown adapts itself with great advantage to the construction ofa cot or light bedstead as a complete artielc,in which class of bedsteads an elastic web is usually very imperfectly embodied. In such cases I add to the construction thus far described head and foot rests h 72, hinged with rule-joints to close inward to lie fiat upon the web frame.

The cot thus constructed is a complete bedstead, and when the hinged supporting-legs c and headand foot rests h are closed inward it occupies very little space,and consequently is easy of transportation and economical and strong in construction.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. The improved bed-bottom embodying,in combination, the following elements, viz: a rigid base-frame, head and foot rails secured fixedly to and above t-he same, movable side rails held normally in the plane of the head and foot rails, struts upholding the side rails from a pivotal engagement with cross-braces of the base-frame, and an elastic web secured to the head, foot, and side rails, substantially as set forth.

2. The improved bed-botto1n embodying the following elements,combined and arranged as described, to wit: a rigid base-frame having head and foot rails secured fixedly to and above the same, movable side rails, struts upholding the side rails, pivotally engaged in pairs in opposite diagonal relations with cross-braces of the base-frame, and an elastic wire web secured to the head, foot, and side rails and cooperating with the pivotal struts to retain the side rails normally in the plane of the head and foot rails, substantially as set forth.

3. The improved bed-bottom embodying the following elements, combined and arranged as described, to wit: a rigid base-frame having head and foot rails secured fixedly to and above the same, movable side rails, struts upholding the side rails, pivotally engaged in pairs in opposite diagonal relations with cross-braces of the base-frame, an elastic wire web secured to the head, foot, and side rails and cooperating with the pivotal struts to retain the side rails normally in the plane of the head and foot rails, and retaining ehains acting to prevent vertical displacement of the side rails and to hold the web normally in tension, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES BIGEON.

lVitnesscs:

L. M. Hosna, C. D. KERR. 

